A Captain's Curse
by sparkylaurens
Summary: A young woman named Esmeralda Jacobs while out searching for her friend Joshamee Gibbs walks right into an adventure. Will she and the Captain get along? Set during Curse of the Black Pearl. Jack/OC Rating may change for the later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The sun was down and the free port of Tortuga had come alive, a young woman smiled as she walked out of the door of her good friend Gibb's small apartment. She hadn't seen him in several hours and she could only assume that he started the night without her. Before walking off, she made sure to take the key out of the pocket of her trousers and lock the front door. "Don't want any unexpected visitors while I'm out." She mumbled to herself before pocketing the brass key and making her way towards their favorite tavern – The Faithful Bride. She was sure to find Gibbs there!

During this time of the night what would normally be a five minute walk took twice as long due to all of the people on the streets. There were men looking for some pleasurable company from the working women, drunk men having a great time while on shore leave, and to her surprise there were even some men passed out on the sides of the streets even though the night was still young. Some men just can't handle their liquor, she thought with a smile. Something in her bones just told her that tonight would be a good night.

She entered The Faithful Bride, feeling instantly at home when her boots hit the wooden floor of the tavern. After entering, she tied her blue bandana around her head to keep her long, wavy raven hair from her face she needed to be on the lookout. The scene inside was much like the one outside but this time she took better care looking at the people as she passed, she was now looking for her friend. It was then that she spotted him, sitting in the back of the tavern. It looked like he was talking to someone, but who? She took it upon herself to figure out who Gibbs was sitting with.

"There's bound to be some sailors on this rock as crazy as you," Gibbs said to the man.

"Putting a crew together, are we Gibbs?" She asked, taking a seat next to her friend.

"Ah Esmeralda, I see you finally decided to join me," Gibbs said, not answering the question. "Meet Captain Jack Sparrow, he is looking for a few good men to go on a fool's errand."

Esmeralda let her emerald green eyes take a better look at the man sitting across from her. He had a weathered tricorn hat, red bandana, and several ridiculous layers of clothing. Wasn't he aware of the extreme Caribbean heat? Wait…did he just say Captain Jack Sparrow? "So I finally get to meet the infamous Captain Sparrow," she said extending her arm to greet him, "Esmeralda Jacobs."

Jack reached out and took her hand, "Good to meet you, love." He replied, but she could tell that he wasn't really thinking about her, his mind was still in the same place that it was when she arrived – on whatever crazy mission he is looking for crew members for. This might just be her lucky day, not many captains had been willing to sign a female crew member.

"One can only hope that there are enough souls on this island with the fortitude to stay brave and true on an adventure such as this," Jack replied, ignoring Esmeralda's existence, "Take what you can…"

"Give nothing back." Gibbs replied, and they clanged their mugs together as some sort of toast.

"Now, young lass, would you mind telling me how you got past my guard?" Jack said, motioning to the man standing a few feet away from the table.

"Him? Easy, I didn't realize he was guarding anything. I must have just walked past him while he was looking the in the other direction." She shrugged, "Why? Was this some sort of secret meeting?" She joked, motioning for one of the bar maids to give her a mug of rum.

"As a matter of fact, it was." Jack replied, taking a sip, "But as long as you're here…I am going on a mission filled with fear and certain death. We are going to the Isla de Muerta, saving the Governor of Port Royal's daughter, the love of that man's life, should you join us you would be entitled to an equal share of the treasure."

Before she could answer Gibbs answered for her, "No, I don't think.."

Esmeralda cut him off, "I would _love_ to join your crew, Captain Sparrow, sign me up as your first recruit." She narrowed her eyes at Gibbs, he was supposed to be her friend, why wouldn't he want her to go on this adventure? "After all," she began, "It's not every day that you get the opportunity to work for a living legend."

Jack smiled his crooked smile, "Welcome aboard, Miss Jacobs."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"You know," Gibbs began looking wearily between his two friends, "its bad luck to have a woman aboard."

Esmeralda narrowed her eyes, after all they had been through together you would think that Gibbs would have her back. She would think that after watching her stuck for weeks on this island with no one wanting to sign her to their crew that he would be thrilled that they would be going on this adventure together. Apparently she was wrong about him.

"In this case I think that it would be worse luck _not_ to have this particular woman on board," Jack replied taking another swig of rum. "I've heard stories about you, love. You pull your weight, don't let anything stand in your way. Must have gotten that from your father."

"You knew him?" She asked, "I didn't." Her father was pirate Captain Edward Jacobs, feared everywhere by every merchant vessel. "He left my mother alone, pregnant. Never came back, never sent money. She died when I was young, I've been on my own since 13." She took a swig of rum, "But enough about me, let's hear more about this adventure I've signed up for."

"Why don't you go talk to Will over there, get him a drink or something." Gibbs said, "You could learn a little about how this whole adventure got started."

"He looks like a regular old stick in the mud," Es said, her eyes twinkling with the thought of shocking this main further, "Maybe getting him drunk will get him to loosen up a little."

She got up from the table and moved to stand next to Will. She knew that Gibbs was trying to get rid of her. She didn't know why he felt inclined to protect her from everyone and everything, but it was getting annoying. "Can't help but notice how uncomfortable you are, mate." Es said smiling at the young man. "And I can't help but wonder, do you always walk around with that giant stick up your arse?" She smiled and motioned for one of the bar maids to bring her two more rums, "My name is Esmeralda Jacobs, I'll be joining your crew. Let me buy you a drink."

"William Turner," Will said nodding in her direction, he seemed even more uncomfortable, "Are you sure you are a member of the crew? You, uh, well, you're a…"

"A woman?" Esmeralda replied, grabbing the drinks and passing one to Will, "I know. It's just my gender it's not a disability. I've been sailing for 10 years, wouldn't have it any other way." She took a swig of her drink, "Now I understand we're on a mission to save your lady love? Tell me about her."

A few feet away she could hear Gibbs and Jack arguing with each other in hushed tones, no doubt over the fact that Gibbs for some strange reason doesn't want her to go on this adventure. Too bad he's not her keeper.

"Her name is Elizabeth Swann, she's the governor of Port Royal's daughter. A couple of nights ago pirates from The Black Pearl kidnapped her, I've got to save her. The Royal Navy was taking too long planning every little detail, so I made a bargain with Jack Sparrow, I let him out of jail and in return he will help me save her. We're putting together a crew right now."

All of a sudden Gibbs' hesitation to allow her to join the crew made sense. The Black Pearl, was Jack insane? There was no way he would be able to save this girl. It was a fool's errand. And the Navy is involved? Wonderful. "Excuse me a moment, won't you?" She said with a smile before returning to the table where her new captain and friend were sitting.

"Ah, love. Back so soon?" Jack asked, his lips forming a crooked smile.

"You think you're clever, don't you? You seemed to have left out a few pieces of information when you asked me to join your crew. Are you daft going after The Pearl like that?" She slammed her mug onto the table and crossed her arms across her chest. She'd noticed that Gibbs had sat back and smiled, he knew that Will wouldn't hold back. He'd been waiting on her to come back and verbally assault him.

"To be fair, love, I did say certain death. I didn't think that you exactly needed to be privy to all details, I'd assumed you were brave enough to laugh in the face of danger" He began, fiddling with the many rings on his fingers, "I suppose I was wrong. Oh well, your loss then."

By this time, Will came stumbling over to the table, Es laughed inwardly. She hadn't realized that he was such a light weight to get tipsy from one drink. "I'm braver than you think, Captain Sparrow." Es said locking her eyes on his, "I just appreciate knowing all of the facts before I step aboard a ship. What time do I have to be at the docks in the morning?"

Gibbs wasn't surprised, he knew that Esmeralda couldn't back down from a challenge. "We leave a dawn, Es. Be ready at the docks then."

"I'll see you three in the morning, I'd better be getting some rest. Goodnight boys." Es said as she placed her cup down and made her way towards the exit of The Faithful Bride.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The streets of Tortuga during the day were completely different than at night, completely devoid of life. There were a few men that didn't (or couldn't remember the way back) to their beds last night left sleeping on the streets. As she walked closer to the docks she could smell the salt of the sea and the anticipation of finally being able to sail again was amazing.

There was a small part of her brain screaming at her that this was a fool's errand, that she wouldn't be returning from this mission, but wasn't that part of the draw to her life? It wasn't like she had a home to return to, her home was the sea. The only family she had would was the crew members she sailed with.

She reached the docks at dawn, just as she promised she would, but Gibbs, Jack, and Will had not yet arrived. She could only assume that the few men standing around her were the men she would be sailing with. Suddenly she had the feeling that this really _might_ be the last time that she would be in Tortuga. Most of the men had seen better days, one of the older ones had a parrot on his shoulder, a dwarf, and a young man in a floppy hat. There was something about the younger man that had her suspicious but she just couldn't put her finger on it. Suddenly there was a stir amongst the men, and they all lined up. Es supposed that Gibbs, Captain Sparrow, and Will had finally made their way down to the docks.

"Feast yer eyes, Cap'n. All of them faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt," Gibbs said as they made their way down the crew line, "And crazy to boot."

The three men stopped in front of the little man, "So this is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked, his voice full of doubt.

They resumed moving down the line, when Jack paused at the elderly man with the parrot that Es was standing next to. "You sailor!" Jack exclaimed, narrowing his eyes towards the man.

"Cotton, sir." Said Gibbs, providing the man's name.

"Mr. Cotton," Jack began moving in closer to the man, "Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in face of danger and almost certain death?" He paused for a second, waiting for an answer that never came. "Cotton! Answer, man!" He demanded of the sailor.

Gibbs quickly interjected, "He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out so he trained the parrot to talk for him," Mr. Cotton opened his mouth, Es peeked over and he indeed had no tongue. "No one has yet figured how."

Jack began to walk towards Es, but then backtracked towards Cotton, "Mr. Cotton's…parrot. Same question."

"Ark! Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" the parrot replied. Es suppressed a giggle, but a smirk still showed on her face. She hadn't actually expected the parrot to answer and by the look on young William's face he was just as surprised as she was. Jack had either done a better job at concealing his reaction or he had expected the parrot to understand and answer his question.

"Mostly, we figure that means yes," Gibbs clarified.

"Of course it does!" Jack replied before turning back to Will, "There! Are you satisfied?"

"Well you've proved they're mad." Will replied, looking up and down the line of men. Es was slightly offended, but then remembered that ol' stick in the mud probably had a lot of getting used to around here. As far as last-minute crews go, this was as good as any.

"And what's the benefit for us?" Asked a strong, feminine voice. Es stood up straighter, she had thought that she was the only woman on this crew. Had someone else joined the line while she wasn't paying attention? From the look on Gibbs' face she figured that he thought the same thing. The odds of Joshamee Gibbs deliberately and willingly signing a woman on a crew he was in charge of assembling were zero, apparently even one that he knew very well. As the three men in charge made their way to the source of the voice it was revealed that the man in the large hat was actually a woman. She knew there was something off about that man!

Everyone watched on as Jack lifted the hat off the woman's head. "Anamaria!" He exclaimed.

So he knew this woman, Es thought, wonderful. Jack's reputation with women was widely known and she hoped that she at least wouldn't be all over him the entire trip…that could get annoying. Just then Anamaria slapped Jack with such force to twist his body back towards Will. They said something that she couldn't quite make out. Just as Jack turned around to say something else Anamaria beat him to it. "You. Stole. My. Boat." She said angrily and then slapped him again. It was really hard to stifle laughter at the second hit, but she managed to. Wouldn't want to lose her spot on the crew before it even left port.

"Borrowed!" Jack said, turning back to the mulatto woman, "Borrowed without permission but with every intention of bringing it back to you."

"But you didn't!" Anamaria said, and Jack flinched expecting another slap.

When there wasn't a slap, he replied quickly, "You'll get another one!" He offered, hoping that it would keep the woman's wrath from turning violent again.

"I will," She replied, pointing her figure at the daft pirate captain.

"A better one." Will offered.

"A better one!" Jack exclaimed.

"That one!" Will offered, excitedly.

"What one?" Jack asked, turning towards Will. He then pointed to the naval ship they'd arrived on, "That one?!" Jack replied gritting his teeth, "Aye! That one!" He finally said to the scorned woman. "What say you?"

Anamaria appeared to be pondering the question. "Aye!" she finally replied, and all of the men around her replied the same in unison. As the men and Anamaria made their way towards the ship, Es walked over to Gibbs' side.

"Its frightful bad luck to have a woman aboard, sir, much less TWO of them." Gibbs said, voicing once again his superstitious concerns.

Jack stared at the sky, fiddling with the banana in his hands before replying, "We'll be much worse off without them, I'm thinking."

"Gibbs, I can't believe that you're still buying into that old superstition. Have I not been just as good a sailor as any man? Have I not pulled my weight?" Es was hurt. She had been since the night before. They had sailed together before and had never had any troubles. She could sail, fight, and pillage just as well as any man could.

"Aye lass, you have," Gibbs began, "But on an adventure such as this we're going to need all the luck we can get." There was something else in Gibbs' eye. Was it fear? This entire time she was sure that Gibbs was down playing her skills aboard a pirate ship solely based on her gender, but now she could see that he was worried about her safety. She felt bad to have judged him, but he should know better than to worry about her, she had been taking care of herself for 10 years and looked death in the eyes several times only to escape. "Now we'd better make way before the weather gets bad."

Es looked up to the sky next to Will. "I don't understand," the young man began, "the sky is clear, why could they possibly be worrying about the weather?"

**AN: Thank you all for reading these first three chapters! Please leave reviews! This is my first fanfiction, I hope that it isn't completely awful, and I'd like to know anything that I can do to make things better. Now the adventure is really about to begin. How do we think Es will hold up?**


	4. Chapter 4

Within the hour the crew of The Interceptor was on the open sea and Es had a chance to take a break. She noticed that Will was leaning against the railing on the starboard side of the ship and she decided to join him. He had a lost look on his face as If he were deep in thought. "Got something on your mind, mate?"

Will blinked and snapped out of his thought, "This Barbossa...do you think he would hurt Elizabeth?"

Es saw the hurt written all over his face and it nearly broke her heart. She knew that Barbossa had a nasty reputation for not treating prisoners well, but she wasn't so sure that she should tell Will that. She debated for a second whether or not she should tell him the truth, but decided against it. "No. I am sure she is fine." She paused, "He is most likely looking for a ransom, and she is the Governor's daughter after all. Wouldn't want to harm her if he wanted money out of her."

This seemed to bring Will peace. "It's strange, you know. Trusting pirates."

"I'm not so bad, am I?" Es asked flashing him a smile.

Will gave her a small smile, "No, you aren't," he paused, "None of you are, really. I was raised thinking that all pirates were murderous monsters, but you all aren't so bad. Cheaters, liars, thieves maybe, but still human." He looked over in Jack's direction, "Some crazier than others."

Es couldn't help but laugh at that statement. "Isn't that the truth?" She exclaimed putting herself back together.

"If you don't mind my asking…how did you come to be a pirate? What made you choose this life?" He asked.

"Well, that's a long story…I'll sum it up," Es began, "I was born in Spain. My mother was a maid for a merchant's family. She met my father, a pirate, and fell in love. They would meet in secret, and after a year or so she became pregnant. She lost her job, and he never came back her like he promised he would. She used all of the money she'd saved up and moved us to London. When we got there she told everyone that she had been widowed and she got a job as a nanny maid in another house hold. I grew up in London near the docks, I got an education with the children my mother took care of and for the first 13 years of my life everything was wonderful, but then mom fell ill. She never recovered and I was orphaned and forgotten by the family I had grown up with, cast out to the streets. I wanted to get out of England, so I disguised myself as a boy and got work as a cabin boy on several merchant vessels. I got tired lying to myself, and at 16 I jumped ship at Tortuga and I never looked back. I've been sailing under the pirate flag ever since." She paused, "I wouldn't trade my life on the sea for anything else. Out here I am respected as an individual, on land I'm just a woman. On land I would have no freedom, I would be expected to clean the home, raise children, and wither away."

"I grew up in London as well, lost my mom when I was 8," Will said, "I never knew my father. All of my life I thought that he was a merchant sailor that died at sea, but yesterday Jack told me that he was a pirate. That he'd even sailed with him." He shook his head, "You're a strong woman, Esmeralda."

"Call me Es," she said, "and thanks."

"You're welcome," he said before he was called by one of the other crew members that needed help with one of the masts.

Es looked to the helm expecting to see Jack there, but instead it was Gibbs.

"You look puzzled, love," a voice said from behind her. Es turned around to find Jack standing there, leaning against the railing. "Getting to know young William, are we?"

"Aye, Captain," Es replied, "We seem to have a few things in common surprisingly enough."

"Don't tell me that you are hopelessly in love with Miss Swann too?" Jack said crinkling his nose.

"Hardly," Es replied, "Do you normally show this much interest in your crew Captain Sparrow?" The words flew out of her mouth before she thought about them.

"Not usually," he replied, inching closer, "But then again, I don't usually have crew members such as yourself on my ship."

Es took a step back, "You don't regularly have Spaniards aboard your ship?" Es asked coyly, "Well I feel so honored to be one of the first."

"Oh love, you wouldn't be the first -" He began.

"Stop right there," Es interrupted, "I am not here as your play thing. I am not something to ogle at. You are my Captain, and that's it, that's where I draw the line." Es said taking another step back to increase the space between you. "Your pirating skills aren't the only rumors that travel fast across these seas, Sparrow. I've heard about your love of women, and I'm not going to fall for your tricks." Es didn't want to end up like her mother, left alone with no one to care for her.

If it had been different circumstances, Es would have perhaps even considered Jack. He wasn't bad looking, he was actually pretty much the opposite of bad looking. She just couldn't do that, not now. It would ruin her reputation.

Just then rain drops started falling, slowly at first, but then the sky went dark. Before long it was a torrential downpour. It was all hands on deck, and Es was assigned to work with Will and Gibbs while Jack went back to the helm. Wave after wave, the deck filled with water and they were knocked to their feet. Will glanced up and noticed Jack looking at his compass.

"How do we sail to an island that nobody can find with a compass that doesn't work?" He asked, frustrated.

"Aye, the compass doesn't point north, but we aren't trying to find north are we?" Gibbs pointed out as they tied off the line.

"Has he lost his mind? Why are we sailing through the mess?" Es asked, catching her breath after being knocked down by another one of the waves, but she noticed that Gibbs wasn't near her anymore and was running up towards the helm, fighting to keep his feet planting on the ship.

"We should drop canvass sir!" Gibbs shouted to their Captain.

"She can hold a bit longer!" Jack shouted back, at Es felt a little disappointment. It was hard enough keeping herself aboard the ship, much less try to keep the ship together while sailing towards the storm.

"What's in your head that's got you in such a fine mood, Cap'n?" Gibbs shouted back.

"We're catching up," Jack replied with a wicked smile on his face.

**AN: Thanks for reading! If you like what you've read so far, please don't hesitate to subscribe and review! We finally got some one on one interaction with Jack and Es. Do you think that she will warm up to him by the time the adventure is over? What happens next to Miss Jacobs? **


	5. Chapter 5

"Dead men tell no tales." Squaked Cotton's parrot.

Grey mist had surrounded the Interceptor as Jack guided her through the many ship wrecks in this small lagoon. He hadn't left the helm since their encounter hours earlier, even after the weather had calmed down, and Es was fine with that. He looked at home up there, one with the ship and the ocean. She looked down to see a hammerhead shark swimming through one of the ship wrecks and it sent a shiver down her spine. She looked back up to Jack hoping that he knew what he was doing, she definitely did not want to face the same fate as the sailors of the many ship wrecks.

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors were claimed by this passage." Gibbs said to her left while shaking his head. His voice was full of respect and reverence for those lost. She glanced again toward her captain, and he was looking intently at his compass with Cotton standing behind him. Once he noticed that he was also looking at his compass he shut it without much thought. Everyone aboard wanted to know how that blasted compass worked it seemed.

Gibbs made his way to the other side of the ship with Will hot on his tail. "How is it that Jack came by that compass?" He asked. It seemed like Es wasn't the only one keeping tabs up on old Jack. She followed the two men, she herself wanted to know the answer to that question.

Gibbs glanced over to Jack, making sure that he wasn't paying attention before answering Will's question. "Not a lot is known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta. That was before I met him. Back when he was captain of The Black Pearl."

Es' eyes widened in surprise. Now Jack's part in this makes perfect sense. He wasn't just going after the fastest, most fearsome ship in the Caribbean; he was going after _his _ship. Now she understood his determination, his will to sail through a horrible storm.

"What?" Will asked. He seemed just as surprised as you. Es turned her attention back to Gibbs, his eyes too were wider realizing that he had unearthed the past of the secretive Captain Sparrow. "He failed to mention that…" Will added sounding slightly annoyed.

"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard learned lesson it was," Gibbs starts, and Es listened intently. "See, three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share; that should be the location of the treasure, too. So, Jack gives up the bearings," Gibbs explains, both Es and Will were captivated by the story. "That night… there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat!"

Marooned? Es knew the protocol for marooning a pirate, he should have been given a gun for himself. Clearly the gun was defective or he wouldn't be sailing this ship. It must have been horrible for him on that island, she felt awful for him.

"Ah…so that's the reason for all the…" Will said before doing a rather accurate impression of Jack. Es couldn't help but let out a little giggle.

Gibbs too had a small smile on his face but recovered quickly. "Reason's got nothin' to do with it." He said leaning in closer as if this were a big secret between the two, "The lass already knows this part. Now Will, when a pirate is marooned he is given a pistol with a single shot. One shot, well that won't do any good for hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol starts to look real friendly," he says, making a gun with his hands and pointing it to his own heads, his actions explaining the words that he wouldn't say aloud. "But Jack, he made it off the island and he still has that one shot! Oh, but he won't use it though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate."

"Barbossa," Will confirmed aloud when Es was thinking to herself.

"Aye." Gibbs confirmed nodding his head.

"But how did Jack get off that island?" Es asked not missing a beat, wanting to know the conclusion to this story.

"Well, I'll tell ya." Gibbs began, using his hands to explain, "He waded out into the shallows and waited there for three days and three nights, till all manner of sea creature came acclimated to his presence. Then, on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed them together and made a raft!" He exclaimed.

Es burst out into laughter, she couldn't contain herself!

"…He roped a couple of sea turtles?" Will asked slowly, not completely buying the tale.

"Aye, sea turtles." Gibbs confirmed.

"What did he use for rope?" He asked, and Es stopped laughing. That was a very valid question.

Gibbs opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it, not sure how to answer him. He pursed his lips in thought, this was clearly something that he hadn't considered before. Suddenly, they all looked up to see Jack standing there. He had apparently been listening to their conversation the entire time and he didn't look very much amused.

"Human hair. From me back." He replied nonchalantly. Es wrinkled her nose, disgusted. "Let go of the anchor!" Jack exclaimed, the rest of the crew jumping into action. Jack then returned his attention to the three in front of him, "Young Mister Turner and I are to go ashore." He said walking off towards the long boats.

Es next to Gibbs astounded. She had signed up for danger and adventure, she wasn't going to sit idly by and let those two have all of the fun, oh no. She was going to go with them. She stood to her feet to follow them, but Gibbs stood in her way. "You shouldn't be going with them, Es," he said seriously, "It's not your duty. You don't want to be tangled up in that mess."

"Aye, but I've been tangled up in this mess since Tortuga." She explained, stepping around him and catching up to the two men. "I'm going with you." She said determined.

"No, you aren't." Jack replied without turning around to face her, "It's too dangerous. Your job will to be to wait here with Gibbs and make sure that this ship is here when we bring the girl back." He said before turning around.

"No, I am going to go with you. I didn't sign up for the adventure of sitting here and waiting on the ship. I was told I'd be facing certain death. I'm going." Es said taking steps towards the long boat.

"No you aren't, love. That cave…it is no place for a lady." Jack said grasping at straws.

"Neither is this pirate ship," Es countered, "Good thing I'm no lady." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"The more time you two spend over who is and isn't going to shore the more time we waste saving Elizabeth." Will said frustrated, "I don't mind if she comes along, she may even be a help to us."

Es makes a move to stand by Will before Jack speaks up again, "You don't mind because you don't know those…men, and I use that term loosely, like I do." He paused, turning to Es, "Stay here?"

Es shook her head defiantly, "No, Jack."

"_Please_ stay here?" He begged

"No." She said exhausted of the argument, "I'm a big girl Jack, I can take care of myself." She said before climbing into the long boat. "Let's go, Miss Swann is waiting to be rescued."

"Captain!" Gibbs piped up meeting Jack at the railing, "What if the worst should happen?" He asked, glancing over towards Es, hoping that maybe his answer would change her mind.

"Keep to the code." Jack replied before turning around towards Es half expecting her to rejoin the rest of the crew on the ship.

"Aye, the code." Gibbs agreed.

Jack and Es then joined Jack in the longboat and they were slowly lowered into the lagoon.

Es felt a knot in her stomach starting form. She'd asked for this, but she knew that keeping to the code could mean that she could be left here, alone, with Barbossa and his crew. A chill ran down her spine at the thought, but she dismissed it quickly. She was with the most notorious pirate in the Caribbean, a skilled swordsman, and she was not shy to battle herself. They would be fine, all they had to do was storm in, grab Elizabeth, and leave. A fool proof plan…she hoped.

**AN: Thank you for reading! The real action is about to start! Please leave reviews and let me know what you think. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

As Jack rowed the long boat towards shore, and with each row Es felt her nervousness turn into excitement. Not only were they nearing the climactic end of their journey it seemed that the entire island was covered with treasure. The closer they got to the shore the more shiney the sand got. As wonderful as all of the gold and precious jewels were there were enough skeletons adorning the coast to make her understand further why this was called the Isla de Muetra...an unsettling amount.

"What code is Gibbs to keep to should the worst happen?" Will asked, breaking the comfortable silence between the three.

Jack smiled at Es, and turned his head slightly so that Will could hear him. "Pirate's code: any man that falls behind….is left behind."

"No heroes amongst thieves then, eh?" Will asks with contempt in his voice. Obviously all of the wonderful time they'd spent together hadn't helped to change his mind about pirates. Jack's eyes sought on Es's and he smiled another small smile...he looked like he was up to something.

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you're well on your way to becoming one," Jack began that glint in his eye and the same sly smile on his lips. "Sprung a man from jail, Commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga….and you're completely obsessed with treasure." Jack hopped out and pulled the boat to shore and you followed behind.

"That's not true!" Will denied following Jack and Es to hide behind a rather large boulder covered in uncountable valubles. "I am not obsessed with treasure."

Jack peered over the boulder but then returned his attentions to young William, "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."

Es looked to her right in disbelief. That was probably the most beautiful thing she had ever heard Jack Sparrow say. She hadn't taken him for a poetic type. She opened her mouth to say something witty, but was cut off by Captain Barbossa addresing his crew.

"Gentlemen, the time has come! Salvation is nigh! Our torment is reaching an end!"

Es looked over the boulder watching everything unfold. Next to Captain Barbossa,with whom she had already been acquainted, stood a beautiful young blonde woman. She could only assume that she was Elizabeth.

Her assumption was made true when she heard Will whisper her name with both worry and anticipation. Es and Jack both glanced over, Es hadn't considered Will doing something stupid like playing the hero, but she was wrong. That look was all over his face.

"For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each man-jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over - and a hundred times again!" Barbossa shouts and his crew cheers loudly at his words.

"Suffered I have," wails a dirty, lanky man in the crowd.

"Punished we were! The lot of us - disproportionate to our crime! Here it is!" Barbossa exclaimed, pushing off the lid of the chest with his foot. It fell down next to the chest, revealing masses of shiny golden coins. "The cursed treasure of Cortes himself." he goes on, running his hand over the surface of the coins.

"Every last piece that went astray we have returned… save for this!" He declares while pointing the necklace Elizabeth has around her neck.

"How did she get that?" Es wondered whispering to herself, eyebrow furled.

"Jack!" Will hissed jumping up, disturbing some coins on the boulder they were hiding behind, Es winced, but a quick look over the pirates confirmed that they hadn't heard Will's little disturbance.

"Not yet," Jack said pulling Will back down, "We will wait for the opportune moment."

"When's that? When it's of greatest profit for you?" Will spits out.

Es has had enough, "Listen boy, we know you want to get the girl back, but you can't just rush in and play the hero."

"My plan is better than sitting here and doing nothing." Will replied, the anger and worry clearly showing all over his face.

"Your plan will get yourself _killed_." Es spat back.

"May I ask you something?" Jack interjects, ending the argument between the two, "Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" his tone is of forced patience as he stared sternly at Will. "Do us a favour; I know it's difficult for you… But please, stay here." he points down to the ground, "And try not to do anything _stupid_."

Jack then turned to Es and whispered in her ear, "Watch him." His breath on her ear sent shivers down her spine and before she could reply he sauntered off. Es didn't realize that her mouth was open until she closed it to focus on the action unfolding between Barbossa and his crew.

"And who among us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen gods?"

"US!" the men shouted.

"And whose blood must yet be paid?!" Barbossa asked, a sickening grin curling his lips.

"HERS!" the men chorus again, pointing at wide-eyed Elizabeth. Barbossa smirks, and turns to face Elizabeth. You see him tell Elizabeth something, but can't hear anything from the distance.

Barbossa takes out a dagger. "By blood begun… by blood undone!" he declares and the men cheer again, starting to chant in encouragement.

"Oh my God…" Es mumbled, turning to look at Will and miss Barbossa cutting Elizabeth's palm.

…The only problem is that Will is not beside her anymore. "Will?!" she repeated in loud whisper, glancing around you frantically. Where the hell was he, how the hell did he manage to leave without her hearing?! Shit, Jack's not gonna be pleased if Will gets himself killed.

Es got up from her kneeling position quickly, she had to find Will! She followed the same path that Jack took just a few minutes ago. Es was so focused on looking for Will that she didn't see Jack on the ground and she tripped over him.

"How in hell did you get down here.." Es asked, but she soon answered her own question. Not a foot away from Jack's unconscious body was an oar from the boat they used to get here. But why would Will knock Jack unconscious? Things had gotten terribly out of hand very quickly. They were supposed to be in, kick ass, get Elizabeth, and get out…"but I ruined everything by not paying attention." Es grumbled to herself. The only thing left to do was to wake Jack up and get out of here before Barbossa gets there.

"Wake up, Jack!" Es whispered loudly as she shook Jack's body. She waited a few seconds, but nothing. "Oh for crying outloud!" She exclaimed and slapped Jack across the face. That got the desired reaction, Jack groaned rubbing his cheek and Es couldn't help but smile.

"Now I know I didn't deserve that one.." Jack grumbled, slowly opening his eyes and sitting up. "What was that for?"

"I had to wake you up," Es said, "What happened?"

"Ah, Will decided to play the knigh in shining armor." Jack said rubbing the spot where Will hit him, "Weren't you supposed to be watching him?"

Es was going to answer, but suddenly there was a lot of commotion from Barbossa's crew. Silently she hoped that Will hadn't done anything to hurt or injure himself or that lady of his.

Jack stood up and offered his hand, "Come on, love. We've got to do something."

Es allowed Jack to help her up and put her hand on her sword, ready to rush in and fight like she had previously planned...but Jack turned towards the shore. Apparently his version of do something meant leave...except that when he reached the boats belonging to Barbossa's crew he didn't ge in one.

"We've got to steal the oars," Jack said grabbing the oars to the ship he was next to and throwing them into the water.

"Good plan, Captain Sparrow," Es agreed throwing the oars into the water. Trap the angry pirates on the island, wonderful. After a few minutes all of the oars had been discarded except for one that Jack was clutching onto.

"Great!" Jack exclaimed, "Now let's go." Jack says sauntering off to hide behind a nearby boulder. Es followed and crouched down next to him, waiting on Barbossa and his crew to arrive. It didn't take long before she could hear the men grumbling about what happened to their oars.

Jack took that as his cue to walk out and Es followed closely behind.

"You! You're supposed to be dead!" Es peers around Jack to see a short balding man pointing at Jack.

"Am I not?" Jack asked looking looking down and back up,. Es tried to repress a life, but it escaped. They turned around ready to make their escape only to find more pirates with a pistol aimed towards them. They turned around to find teh balding pirate had too drawn his pistol. Wonderful.

"Pahlaylo" Jack said, and Es and the rest of the pirates looked at him confused. Silently Es wonders if this is just Jack's true nature or if Will hit him with the oar a bit too hard. Probably a mixture of both."

"Parileyoo, Parlee, Parsley, Partner.." Jack stammers trying to find the right word.

"Parley?" Es offered

"Parley! That's the one! Parley. Parley!" he grinned cheerfully, spreading his other hand not holding the oar to his side.

"Parley?!" Repeats the balding pirate, "Damn to the depths what ever muttonhead thought up parley!"

Without missing a beat Jack responds "That would be the French." Es chuckled, that man really doesn't miss a chance for a witty retort.

"Take them to the Captain!" One of the pirates behind them exclaimed, and before she knew it she and Jack were being pushed towards Barbossa. Es was really hoping that she would avoid an altercation with that man, but obviously there wasn't an option now.

Jack seemed calm and collected, and Es looked that way also, but underneath the exterior she wasn't so calm and not at all collected. Did this meeting mean death? Would she be stranded here? And worse of all, would Barbossa remember her? Surely he would, how could you forget someone you tortue for weeks to get information that she doesn't have. Her plan was to keep her mouth shut, let Jack do all of the talking. Talking seemed to be his area of expertise anyway.

"Cap'n we found some unwanted guests." A stocky pirate informs Barbossa as they approached.

"Jack Sparrow...I thought the last we saw you as when we marooned you on your little island." Barbossa said, his disdain for the man seeping through every word. "Impossible."

"Improbable." Jack corrected, "Looks like you haven't gotten rid of me yet." Jack responded, and though he was trying to mask it, it sounded like the feeling was mutual.

Barbossa's attentions went from Jack to Es, "Well, Miss. Jacobs. What a pleasant surprise." She wished she could wipe the grin off of his face. "It seems you've lowered your standards."

Es narrowed her eyes, she could feel Jack's eyes on her. She'd kept this from him, from everyone, on purpose. She would have to tell him, but that would have to wait. "More like raised them." She retorted.

"How the blazes did you get off that island?" Barbossa asked Jack changing the subject, for which Es was greatful.

"When you marooned me on that godforsaken spit of land you forgot one very important thing mate.." Jack began a small smirk on his face, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Ah, well, I won't be makin' that mistake...again. Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow?" He asked his crew, "Kill him." He paused, "HIs little whore too."

All pistols were pointed towards them and Es held her breath waiting for impending doom. Suddenly Jack spoke up.

"The girl's blood didn't work did it?" Jack asked in a knowing tone.

Barbossa freezes then slowly turns around, "Hold yer fire!" He exclaimed and his crew begrudgedly lowered their weapons. Es let out a small sigh of relief.

"You know whose blood we need?" Barbossa asked.

"I know whose blood you need." Jack confirmed.

**AN: Sorry for the hiatus! I'm back in full force now and to reward my readers for their patience this was an extra long chapter. What happened between Barbossa and Es? What will happen between Jack and Es? Keep reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

Es frowned, Jack seemed all too willing to give Barbossa information. How freely would it flow so that Jack saved his life and got his ship? Where would she be in this mess? She had previously considered Jack as someone she could trust...but now she wasn't so sure.

Barbossa considered Jack for a moment before asking him to join him on the Pearl to discuss things further.

"Lead the way," Jack says extending his arm towards Barbossa, but the older man doesn't make a move.

"Unfortunately the offer doesn't extend to your lass, kill her." Barbossa started walking away and once again the sounds of pistols being prepared to fire were heard.

"I don't think you should do that either, mate." Jack spoke up and the men paused again, thank goodness for that. Maybe she _could_ trust Jack afterall.

"_Why_ shouldn't I be doing it?" Barbossa asked. Now he was clearly frustrated.

"Think about it mate, she would be someone that I would love to have around when the curse is lifted." Jack looked back at Es and shot her an apologetic look. "She isn't my lass anyway."

"I doubt that it would be any more enjoyable once the curse is lifted than it was five years ago. But since I am such a great mood, she will live. For now." Barbossa replied.

Jack looked back towards Es confused, but she wasn't paying attention to reality. Her mind was drifting off to a dangerous place. It was only the disgruntled sound of pirates putting away their pistols for the second time that brought her back to reality. He had chosen to save her and she would have to thank Jack later.

Barbossa's crew collected their oars and loaded into the boats. Jack got to ride in Barbossa's boat that was being rowed by the balding man and a man with one eye while Es was forced to ride in a different boat along with crew members. Before she knew it _The Black Pearl _ was in full view. It was a beautiful ship but she would be lying if she said she was happy to see it. It triggered memories she would rather of forgotten. When the longboat reached the ship Es was shoved to climb aboard. She was being treated as a captive while it was clear that Jack was being treated as a guest. Oh well, at least she was alive.

Once everyone made it on board the ship Barbossa turned to Jack, "Now, why don't we finish our little discussion in _my _cabin." He said enpahsizing the fact that the pearl belonged to him. "Unfortunately the lass will be taken to the brig. I don't see her serving any purpose."

Es waited for Jack to interject, naturally he wouldn't let her be locked away. She looked over at him, but he avoided her gaze. "Go ahead, like you said she is of no use to us right now."

Es stood with her mouth open, surely this couldn't be happening? But it was Within seconds the balding man and his taller friend, whom she learned were called Pintel and Ragetti, bound her hands in front of her with rope and pushed her towards the brig. Es was beginning to wonder if she would have been put out of her misery earlier. She was locked in one of the cells and was locked inside, the two men bickering the entire time about this and that before the key was turned and they made their way back up to the deck.

Es looked down, there was obviously a leak. Water covered the ground, there wasn't enough to cause any discomfort but there was just enough for to remain standing. Wonderful. She gets to stay in the uncomfortable, dank brig and Jack gets to sit cozy in the Captain's cabin with his new best friend.

Suddenly the ship rocks violently and more water begins to pour into the brig covering the tops of Es's boots. "Wonderful." She muttered, this day just keeps getting better and better. A few moments later she heard the door creak, maybe Barbossa changed his mind and was going to kill her after all. Hopefully it would be a quick death.

Instead of death coming for her it was the large black man, Bo'Sun she heard a crew member call him, leading Jack to the brig. She supposed things didn't go so well with his little meeting, what a pity. He shoved Jack into her cell and locked the door.

"Apparently there's a leak," Jack commented.

"What happened, Jack? Barbossa doesn't want to be your best friend anymore? What a shame." Es said once Bo'Sun left. She was angry still.

"Aw, come on love. It was for your own good…" Jack began his eyes looking into hers. "Let me untie your hands."

"For my own good or yours?" Es scoffed, allowing Jack to untie her anyway. His hands on hers made her stomach flop. No. She didn't need to like him, especially not right now.

"He really would have killed you, you know. Especially if I let him know how much I liked you. He can't stand me, you know." Jack said matter of factly, "Although, it would have been nice to know in advance that you two knew each other."

Jack's eyes met hers and she could tell immediately that Barbossa told him about her previous encounter with Barbossa. For an entire week she was kept in this very brig, starved and abused for no fault of her own. "I try to forget about it," Es shrugged trying to play it off hoping he would drop it.

"What would make him do that to you I wonder?" Jack asked

"Revenge against the father I never knew. My father was the reason Barbossa joined your crew to find the Isla de Muerta and the aztec gold. The reason he is cursed. He died before Barbossa got ahold of him, so he settled with me. He kept me tied down here for a week with little food and water, did things I would rather not mention, and then left me in Tortuga five years ago." Es turned to face Jack, "You can't tell Gibbs, he is the father I never had. I don't want to torment him by letting him know what happened. No one else knew, I wanted to keep it that way." She looked away trying to contain the tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, love." Jack replied. Es was embarrassed that he knew. She thought it made her seem vulnerable. The ship shook violently again Es lost her balance falling into Jack. "Sorry," she replied automatically...and she was sorry for knocking him down but she wasn't so sorry that she was able to feel his chiselled chest underneath his shirt.

"You don't have to apologize, love." Jack said, his signature sly grin slowly appearing on his lips, "After all, I've not yet met a woman able to resist Ol' Captain Jack."

Es sat up, moving off of the pirate captain, "Is that so?" She pondered jokingly, "It seems you might have found the exception to the rest of the women you've met." That was a half truth at least. She did feel herself becoming attracted to him but she could never let him know, that would be a sign of weakness. There were many things Esmeralda Jacobs was and weak was _not_ one of them.

As she stood she noticed that Jack had yet to move from the spot on the ground he was lying at. He was staring intently at the hull, "What could possibly be so interesting Captain Sparrow?" Es asks.

"I think I found a hole in my ship." Jack replied.

"I am sure that isn't the only one," Es said shrugging.

"Aye, I am sure it isn't...but this one will let us know what is going on out there." Jack replied moving over to the small peep hole. "Get down!" He exclaimed after a few seconds of peering.

Es followed his instructions and within seconds a cannon blast of various cutlery exploded through their cell, one fork barely missed her head. "They must be extremely short on ammo," Es commented prying the fork from the side of her cell while Jack excitedly opened Gibbs's canteen. "Did you expect for there to be a drop left, Sparrow?" Es asked as she noticed Jack had already pocketed the canteen by the time she picked the lock to the cell.

"I was hopin' there would be." Jack answered before looking at Es open the door to the cell, "Well, it looks like you do have a skill Barbossa would have needed, you are an excellent lock picker!" Jack said walking out the cell door and leading Es out of the brig.


	8. Chapter 8

As Es and Jack made their way to the deck she could hear the sounds of the battle. Instinctively she placed her hand on her sword at her hip. They emerged to chaos, the Black Pearl and the Interceptor in a heated battle. Jack steps out with confidence amid the action, "Follow me," Jack said seemingly not bothered by the fight going on all around him. Fortunately Barbossa's crew was so preoccupied with taking over the Interceptor that no one on deck noticed they'd sprung out of the brig.

Jack lead Es to the railing where crew members were using ropes to board either ship. One of the pirates miscalculated and instead of ending up on The Interceptor he found himself swinging back towards The Black Pearl. Jack took that as an opportunity to steal his rope, "Thanks very much," Jack says to the man while grabbing the rope. He wrapped his arm around Es and swung them over to The Interceptor.

Es was immediately thrown into the fray and she and Jack split ways almost instantaneously when two pirates came at them. Es drew out her cutlass and began fighting the man. He tried to stab her in the chest, she countered. After a few minutes of fighting Es had the upper hand and she stabbed him in the heart, but the man didn't fall. She knew that he was undead, but something about the wonder of it all had her frozen in time. She quickly grabbed her sword and ran in the opposite direction. There wasn't a way out of this that she could see. She had to find Gibbs, surely he had some kind of plan.

On her search for a familiar face Es saw Elizabeth out of the corner of her eye, a pirate was directly behind her, ready to strike. She opened her mouth to call to her but before the words came out Jack grabbed his arm, "That's not very nice," he chastised and Elizabeth knocked him overboard with the butt of her gun. Es made her way over to the pair hoping that Jack had a plan of some sort.

"Where is the medallion?" Jack asked and Elizabeth raised her hand to slap him, "Ah," Jack said catching her wrist, "Where is dear William?" with a knowing stare.

"Will!" Elizabeth whispered, as she turned around to find him.

It was exponentially clear now to Esmeralda that the medallion and William Turner were what both Barbossa and Jack needed. Barbossa to break the blood curse and Jack to gain his ship back. None of this was going to end until the curse was vanquished. Es kneeled beside Jack, "You always knew that this wasn't a simple rescue mission. You and Gibbs both knew. Was this your plan all along?"

She didn't get an answer, only a cry of "monkey!" before he chased after Barbossa's pet who now had the medallion, but he didn't catch him in time. "Gents, our hope is restored!" Barbossa shouted from The Black Pearl. It was over - the battle lost. Es was captured along with Jack and the rest of the crew. Her hands were rebound and she had two men holding her back.

The Interceptor was sinking, and as Es looked around she noticed that one particular member of the crew was missing - Will. Had he been killed? Was he trapped? Elizabeth freed herself as the other members of the crew were being tied to the mast, but the ship exploded before she could reach Barbossa. She shouted and attempted to hit Barbossa in her anguish but she was pulled away by his crew "Welcome back miss, you took advantage of our hospitality last time, all's fair now we return the favor."

Just then, Will climbed onto the railing of the ship. "Barbossa! She goes free!" He demanded.

Will escaped! Es let a sigh of relief escape her lips and she looked over to Jack who seemed just as surprised as she was.

Will picked up and cocked Jack's gun, aiming it at Barbossa.

"What's in your head boy?" Barbossa asked, bewildered.

"She goes free," Will demanded again.

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die!" Barbossa laughs

"Don't do anything stupid," Jack pleads his hands together as if he were praying.

Will runs back to the railing of the ship, his gun still pointed at Barbossa "You can't," he paused placing the gun to his own head, "I can."

"Like that?" Es whispers to Jack somewhat amused.

Barbossa looked over at Jack and Es his confusion clearly upon his face. "Who _are_ you?" he asks Will.

"No one!" Jack shouted running over to Barbossa before Will could get a word in. Obviously Jack was still planning on using Will as a bargaining tool. "He's no one! Distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though...eunuch."

Es couldn't help but let a little laugh escape as Jack hurriedly tried to cover up Will's real identity. Was that the best he could come up with? Surely no one bought that.

Barbossa didn't even have time to react to Jack's statement before Will opened his big mouth again, "My name is William Turner, son of Bootstrap Bill Turner, his blood runs through my veins."

Jack hung his head low and walked back to where he stood before next to Es looking completely dejected.

"It's the spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us!" One of the pirates behind her cried out.

Es turned around to face him, "You know I find it strange then that none of you recognized him when he climbed aboard."

"On my word, do as I say or I will pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' locker." Will shouted, the attention back on him.

Barbossa stepped forward, "Name your terms, Mister Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free!" Will shouted without hesitation.

"Yes, we know that one. Anything else?" Barbossa asked.

Jack pointed at himself, hoping to be spared.

"And the crew! The crew are not to be harmed!" He demanded, and Jack's face fell again. Surely Will knew that the Captain himself wasn't a part of the crew? Or did he care?

"Agreed." Barbossa said with a smile.

Will got down off the railing and immediately Barbossa began shouting orders. "Ye all heard the lad, the lass goes free!" He had a small sly smile on his face, "Pull out the plank."

Oh no. They were going to make her walk the plank. That was almost certain death in these shark infested waters. Es looked to Jack, his face grim. It seemed he knew that this was to be his fate as well. She wished she would reach out and comfort him, but that was impossible with her hands bound and guards on either side.

In a matter of minutes Elizabeth was hoisted onto the plank and made to walk to the edge. "Barbossa you lying bastard! You swore she'd go free!"

Barbossa turned around quickly, "Don't dare impugn my honor boy, I said she'd go free but it was you who failed to specify when or where." He said with a chuckle. He knew he'd cheated. The pirates holding Will back gagged him "Although, it does seem a shame to be losin' something so fine, don't it lads?" He asked. Many pirates agreed, "So I'll be havin' that dress back before you go."

As Barbossa's crew laughed Es looked next to her to see Jack trying to gain allegiances with his captor. "You know, I've always liked you." He said to one of the men and Es shook her head. Clearly Jack knew that he would be next. Before Will arrived they already had the plank set up so it must have been their plan to make Jack walk from the beginning. Then it dawned on her, why wasn't she tied up with the rest of the crew? The crew was supposed to be spared according to Will's demands and yet...here she was standing next to Jack, the man who knew that his fate was so walk to the plank.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," Es muttered.

Es missed Elizabeth returning her dress, but now she stood in her underclothes staring at the water below. "Too long!" Bosun shouted and stopped on the plank causing Elizabeth to lose her footing and land into the waters below.

Barbossa signaled his men to bring Es and Jack towards the plank. "Now it's your turn. I think we should let Miss Jacobs go first, manners and all." The crew laughed again.

"I thought the crew was supposed to be spared," Es spat.

"Aye, they are. Unfortunately for you, you are an escaped prisoner aboard my ship. Therefore, we'll be asking ye to leave." Barbossa explained with a wicked grin.

Of course he had found a loophole. Es could hear Will struggling once again against his gag and restraints, obviously he objected. Apparently she had grown on the young stick in the mud.

"I had really hoped we were past all this.." Jack offers up with a nervous grin.

"Jack, Jack! Didn't ye notice? This is the same little island we made you governor of on our last little trip."

Jack turns to look at the island and then turned back to Barbossa, "I did notice."

"Perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape, but I doubt it." Barbossa said, before gesturing for a pirate in the back to come forward. "Speaking of miraculous escapes we couldn't help but notice that the lass has a talent for picking locks." Two men came forward and untied her wrists only to have them locked with irons, the second pirate locked her ankles with another set.

"Now I suppose we'll get to see just how talented you are," he said passing Es a fork, the same fork she had used to pick the lock to the cell in the brig.

"No offense mate, but she can't swim with those...you do realize that?" Jack offered up hoping that Barbossa would change his mind.

"That's the point, Jack." Barbossa retorted as the two pirates that put Es in irons lifted her onto the plank, "For yer sake lass I hope that wasn't the first time you picked a lock."

Es turned to face her fate. She moved her arms a little, she could swim with those in irons so she could worry about those after she reached shore, but as she shuffled to the end of the plank it was clear that she wouldn't be able to swim at all with the ones around her ankles. She looked down to the waters below, clear and beautiful. She look a long, deep breath, bent her legs, and the entire board shook. "Too long!" Bo'sun cried again, and Es lost her balance and fell into the sea.


	9. Chapter 9

As soon as she hit the water Es didn't waste time and brought her legs up closer to her face and began trying to pick the lock. The lock size on the irons was close in size to the lock in the brig, but was a little smaller. At first she wasn't able to fit a spoke from the fork into the lock, but at the right angle it entered. She began fiddling with the lock, waiting for the click that would set her left leg free so that she could swim to shore.

As her back hit the sea floor she still hadn't unlocked her ankle and her lungs were burning. She didn't have much time left as she frantically turned the fork around in the lock, she could hear clicks and turning, she knew she was close, but would she get it unlocked with enough time to swim to the surface?

She knew that if she panicked she would lose air and stamina faster and she wouldn't die here. She couldn't let Barbossa win. Finally the lock broke free and she could swim..but it was harder than she had judged it to be before walking the plank. She could move her arms, but she couldn't move them out enough to swim efficiently and while she could kick her legs to swim the weight of the chain and iron pulling at her right leg was more than she thought it would be. She was nearing the surface, but her lungs were burning. She needed to release the air she took in as she fell into the water two minutes ago, she needed to breathe. She was close and just before she broke the surface she involuntarily took a mouth full of water, but she'd made it to the surface sputtering out saltwater everywhere. She took a look around to get her bearings and noticed The Black Pearl already sailing away and Jack reaching shore.

She treaded water for a few minutes to catch her breath before making the swim to shore to join Elizabeth and Jack. She swam for what felt like forever dragging the irons on her foot behind her, she figured it would be easier just to take the remaining bonds off when she reached shore than to risk floating the the open ocean with the sharks. Finally she felt the bottom of the ocean, she had made it. She met Jack who was standing in the shallows watching Barbossa sail off, his face had a pained expression. But as she walked over he snapped out of his daze.

"Are you okay love? I thought you drowned," Jack said, his voice full of an emotion that Es couldn't quite place.

Was Jack really worried about her? She managed a small grin, "I'm fine, just need to catch my breath." She said walking to the shoreline.

"Those vile pirates!" Elizabeth was walking in Es's direction huffing and puffing the way most people high in society do. "You could have drowned!"

Es sat down relaxing for a moment "Aye. I nearly did drown. It came really close." She said, and she wouldn't let Barbossa get away with it, whenever she got off this island she would get her revenge. If she got off this island.

That was when it sunk in, she had just escaped death by drowning but by the looks of things if they weren't rescued soon she would soon die of starvation. To keep her mind off of death she started working on picking the locks on the rest of her irons.

"I'm going to explore the island," Elizabeth said and Es felt relieved. There was something about the young woman that put her off but she wasn't sure what it was yet.

"Not much to explore," Jack mumbled sitting in the sand next to Es and he began dismantling his pistol. Elizabeth left anyway.

Es turned to face the man next to her, a month ago if you'd asked her she never would have dreamed of meeting Captain Jack Sparrow. A week ago if you asked her she never could have imagined being marooned alongside him. She knew all of his stories, knew that he loved women a little too much, and knew that he loved rum even more, but still...part of him seemed genuinely worried about her and while she knew that he wasn't a heartless beast it seemed out of his usual carefree exterior to show emotion like that. "Was that worry in your eyes when I showed up on shore Captain Sparrow?" Es asked jokingly as the lock around her ankle broke free. She rubbed the spot where the metal sat against her skin, that would be sore for a few days.

"I really thought you'd drowned," Jack said after blowing into his pistol to make sure that it was dry - it was. "I should have helped you." He said guilt stricken.

"A few more seconds and I really would have drowned, I don't think there was much anyone else could have really done." She said as she began working on the irons on her wrists. "I didn't know you cared."

"Of course I care." Jack said offended, "Why wouldn't I?" He asked incredulously. "You're a member of me crew, plus the scenery wouldn't be as beautiful." Es could hear the smirk in his voice without even looking.

"Always the charmer Sparrow," Es replied with grin as the last lock was picked and she was finally free! She rubbed her wrists, "If we get off this island I'll be helping you hunt Barbossa down."

"I wouldn't expect anything else, love." He replied.

Elizabeth returned from her walk around the island, "Not all that big is it?" Jack asked standing and walking towards the shade.

"You were marooned on this island before weren't you? We can escape in the same way you did then!" Elizabeth said following the pirate captain.

"To what point and purpose young missy? The Black Pearl is gone and unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice," Jack took a moment to looking meaningfully down her bodice, "unlikely, young Mr. Turner will be dead long before you can reach him."

Es watched Elizabeth chase after Jack as he knocked on a tree and started taking exaggerated steps. "But you're Captain Jack Sparrow! You vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company. You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot. Are you the pirate I've read about or not? How did you escape last time?"

Jack paused, clearly frustrated, "Last time I was here a grand total of three days, all right? Last time," he bent down and opened up a secret storage box under the sand, "the rum runners used this island as a cache, came by, and I was able to barter a passage off. But, from the looks of things they've been long out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that." He said climbing out of the storage with three rum bottles.

"So that's it then?" Elizabeth asked frustrated, "The secret grand adventure of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow? You spent three days lying on a beach drinking rum?"

"Welcome to the Caribbean love." Jack said handing her a bottle.

"Ezzie, this day just got exponentially better! I've found the rum!" Jack called walking back over to Es who was sitting in the shade of one of the many palm trees. He passed her a bottle and took a swig of his own.

"Thanks mate," Es said taking the bottle, "Did you really just call me that?"

"Call you what?" Jack asked a small grin on his lips.

"I was under the impression that the famous Captain Sparrow made a raft out of sea turtles using his back hair. This rum story is disappointing." Es smiled back at her Captain. She could very well be stuck here until she starved, might as well enjoy the time she had left.

Elizabeth walked over and sat next to Es, and raised her bottle, "drink up me hearties yo ho." She said softly before bringing the bottle to her lips.

"What was that Elizabeth?" Jack asked intrigued.

"That's Miss Swann." Elizabeth said, obviously still angry with Jack. "And it is a song I learned as a young girl."

"Look, we're stuck on this island the three of us until we're rescued. From the looks of things we've probably got enough food-bearing plants to keep us alive for about a month should the worst happen. You can either get the stick out of your ass or you could make the best of it." Es said, "And that means we've got a month for you to teach us that song, or you've got a month of us asking for you to sing that song."

"I'm going to have to have a little more to drink." Elizabeth replied.


	10. Chapter 10: I don't regret it

"And then they made me their chief." Jack said finishing one of the most ridiculous stories Esmeralda had ever heard.

It had been a couple hours since Jack found the rum and he and Es had about two and a half bottles each. She was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol but was most definitely not drunk. "Chief?"She asked there was no way. "You know? I'm not very inclined to believe you, Sparrow."

Jack gasped feigning surprise, "You think that I would lie to you?"

"Oh, I know you would." Es was sure that part of the story was true, maybe even most of it, but that was just too outlandish to believe. "Pirate."

Just then Elizabeth returned with three new bottles of rum, "Right on cue, love! I'm running low."

Es watched her sway as she walked. The younger woman had only had one bottle of rum but was clearly a lightweight, she'd started slurring her words together after half a bottle. For a moment she wondered what Will would do if he saw her and Jack corrupting his lady love.

"I think I'm ready to teach you the song now," Elizabeth said placing the three new bottles in the sand.

"That is great news!" Jack replied taking the final swig of the amber liquid from his second bottle.

Es watched the waves lap against the shoreline as the sun began to set in the sky as Elizabeth taught Jack the first verse of 'A Pirates Life For Me.' She may be marooned but could she have asked for a better place to be marooned? Probably not. There was plenty of food, shade, company, and the scenery really was beautiful, that sunset in particular. That was when she realized, "As much as I would hate to interrupt, the sun is going down. We should probably be getting a fire going so we don't get cold tonight."

"Who needs a fire when we could just share body heat?" Jack asked suggestively.

"As tempting as that sounds," and surprisingly it did sound tempting to her, "It would probably be better to have the fire." She said trying to banish all thoughts of that from her mind, but it was unsuccessful. "I'll go collect firewood." She said standing and walking towards the center of the island.

In a few hours time the sun was down and they were all three singing and dancing around the large bonfire. "We're devils, we're blacksheep, we're really bad eggs, drink up me hearties yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me!"

"I LOVE this song! Really bad eggs!" Jack exclaimed falling down into the sand, pulling Es down with him. "When I get the Pearl back I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, we'll sing it all the time!" He exclaimed pulling Elizabeth down by the wrist as the waltzed by.

"And you'll be positively the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main." Elizabeth slurred, perhaps she had too much rum.

"Not just the Spanish Main love, the entire ocean, the entire world!"Jack exclaimed as Elizabeth passed out. "Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails that's what a ship needs but what a ship is…what the Black Pearl really is…is freedom."

For ten years Es had been sailing the oceans all around the world. She had sailed with many pirates and captains and none of them had spoken about their ship the way that Jack spoke about the Pearl. His voice was filled with longing she'd never heard before and it made her heart feel like breaking. "Jack, it must be awful for you to be stranded here."

"Oh yes," He admits wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her close, "But the company is infinitely better than last time..and the scenery definitely has improved." he replied suggestively.

He never missed an opportunity, did he? Es rested her head on his shoulder. "When we get off this island I'll help you get your ship back. It's been too long since The Pearl has had her true captain."

"I was hoping you would," Jack admitted, "When I get her back there is a spot for you to be on me crew. You've more than proved your worth, love."

"Thank you," Es said, raising her head to look Jack in the eyes. She hadn't noticed that Jack was moving closer to her until he was millimeters away from her face. She felt herself becoming more and more intoxicated but instead of the rum causing the feeling it was his scent. Her mind was too clouded to protest when his lips touched hers. Slowly Jack's hand began moving from her waist to the back of her head,tangling in her hair, and deepening the kiss. Their tongues were battling for dominance for a few minutes before Es pulled away gasping for air. "Captain Sparrow, I don't believe that I've had enough rum to continue."

Jack straightened up and removed his hand from her hair "I think I know exactly what you mean, love." He took his hands to his moustache and began curling it, she supposed trying to make himself look more attractive - impossible. He smiled and raised his bottle of rum chugging the last few gulps of the amber liquid and immediately falling backwards passing out.

Es felt her eyes get heavy also and laid down in the sand next Jack.

* * *

It was morning and Es's head was throbbing reminding her of the night before and all of the rum she had consumed. She didn't dare open her eyes yet, that would be cruel and unusual punishment. She inhaled through her nose and took in a big whiff of one of the most amazing scent mixtures she had ever had the pleasure of smelling: salt, rum, and something so distinctly...Jack. Unfortunately the smell wasn't very strong and was all of a sudden being overpowered by a stronger, thicker .Something was burning. She opened her eyes and the first thing that she noticed was that in her sleep she had rolled closer to Jack and her head was resting on his chest. Secondly, there was smoke _everywhere. _This was most definitely not good. She sprung up and saw where the smoke was coming from, the bonfire from last night was now being fueled completely by burning rum.

Jack sat up immediately frantic. "No! Not good! Stop! Not good!" He was running towards Elizabeth and the fire. "What are you doing?! You've burned all the food, the shade, the rum!"

"Yes, the rum is gone." Elizabeth said moving away from the fire and towards the shoreline.

"Why is the rum gone?!" Jack asked furious.

Elizabeth turned around seemingly just as furious as he was, "One: because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two: The _entire_ Royal Navy is out looking for me. That signal is over a thousand feet high! Do you think there is the slightest chance that they won't see it?"

"But why is the rum gone?" Jack asked, his priorities clearly out of line. Yes, the navy would see the smoke signal - there was no doubt about that. But what happens when they arrive? Elizabeth would be welcomed with open arms, fretted over even the entire journey back to Port Royal. But what of Jack and herself? They'd be locked up and sent to the gallows as soon as the Navy reached the shore. They would be rescued from the island, but would instead die by hanging.

Elizabeth sat in the sand facing the ocean. "Just wait Captain Sparrow. You wait an hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open and you will see white sails on that horizon."

Jack took his pistol out from his sash and pointed it at Elizabeth but quickly decided better than to shoot her and but it away storming off down the shoreline.

"Let me get this straight," Es began, her mind still reeling from the night before, "You're going to burn down half of the island on the off chance someone might come to rescue us?"

"Yes." Elizabeth replied confidently, her eyes trained on the horizon.

"You're daft!" Es exclaimed and chased off after Jack. She nearly drowned the day before trying to escape a death sentence there was no way in hell she was going to go straight to the gallows.

"I certainly hope you are thinking of a way to avoid our looming death sentences." Es said hopefully as she caught up with her Captain.

"Of course I am, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack said slowly returning to his normal self.

Es wondered how much of last night he remembered. She hadn't had as much rum as he had, she remembered almost every detail, especially that breath stealing kiss. "Jack...about last night," Es began unsure of where to begin.

"I'd wanted to do that since I first laid eyes on you at The Faithful Bride. Last night was the first chance I got, so I took it. I don't regret it." He said, his chocolate brown eyes searching out and holding her emerald green ones. "By the looks of things that might have been the last chance I'll get too." He said looking past her and to the ocean.

Es turned around and sure enough white sails were already sailing towards the island. "There will be no living with her after this," she said with a small smirk on her face.

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**AN: Thank you so much everyone for reading and leaving reviews! I love reading each and every review this story gets (and I may or may not be checking them obsessively. This was by far the most difficult chapter for me to write. Hopefully it won't take as long to crank out the next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Rescue

Jack and Es walked slowly and wordlessly towards Elizabeth as The Dauntless sent long boats filled with red coats to the island. To keep her mind off the gallows Es's mind wandered back off to the night before. She had already decided that last night's kiss was a mistake on her end; a drunken mistake that she would not be making again. While Jack was charming, handsome, brilliant and an amazing kisser he was still her captain. As long as she had her dignity, she decided, she wouldn't allow herself up for heartache.

"I told you it would work!" Elizabeth beamed fom the same place in the sand they left her.

"Aye, it did work," Es agreed with that much. "But I can't imagine Norrington welcoming us with welcome arms."

"At least we're getting off this island." Elizabeth countered.

"Ah, yes. Now I won't have to starve to death, I'll just hang instead." Es replied bitterly."Please excuse me if I'm not exactly thrilled."

"We will _not _hang." Jack replied defiantly.

He truly was a daft man, Es thought. Well thank goodness for that because otherwise she was sure she would have very little chance of making it out alive.

Esmeralda looked out to the sea. The Dauntless has anchored just off shore and the two long boats were very close to the shore. She took notice that Commodore Norrington himself was on the first boat. She had never met the man in person but she heard his name countless times in the past. He was responsible for the most pirate hangings in the Caribbean. She had hoped to never set eyes on the bastard.

"Elizabeth! Are you safe?" He asked climbing out of the long boat. "Did these scoundrels hurt you?"

"No James, I'm fine." She replied as he helped her out of the sand.

"Wonderful." He said with a small smile. "Men, arrest these pirates."

Within seconds Es had two men holding tightly onto either arm leading her into the second longboat.

"Good to see you again too mate." Jack responded in his normal cheerful voice and even though Es couldn't see him she knew he was flashing them his toothy grin.

The Commodore ignored Jack and after both pirates were loaded into the second longboat he helped Elizabeth climb into the first. The orders were immediately given to begin rowing back to The Dauntless. Es wondered if these men needed orders to wipe their own asses.

"At least they haven't put us in handcuffs yet," Es mused quietly to her captain sitting next to her. She looked down at her wrists, they looked worse off than they did the day before she had bruised badly, the dull ache coming from both ankles confirmed that they were in a similar state.

In a matter of minutes they had reached The Dauntless and Governor Swann was approaching them quickly. "Elizabeth! I am so glad you're safe!" He exclaimed embracing his daughter.

"Take these pirates to the brig, we need to make way immediately if we want to make it back to Port Royal by tomorrow morning." Commodore Norrington stated. Es assumed he was itchy to get her to the gallows.

"But we must save Will!" Elizabeth cried out to her father and Norrington.

Well that would certainly buy them some time, Es thought. One glance in Jack's direction confirmed that he too was thinking it.

"No! You're safe will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!" Governor Swann replied.

"Then we condemn him to death." Elizabeth cried in frustration trying to make her father and the commodore realize just how much trouble Will was in.

"The boy's death _is_ regrettable," Weatherby began, "but so is his decision to engage in piracy."

"To rescue me! To prevent anything from happening to me!" Elizabeth cried out desperately.

"If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion," Jack began trying his best to sound proper. Es rolled her eyes. "The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It is _very_ unlikely she'll be able to make good time." Jack had now broke free from the men holding him captive. "Think about it: The Black Pearl, the last _real _ pirate threat in the Caribbean mate. How can you pass that up?"

"By remembering that I serve others Mr. Sparrow, not only myself." The Commodore replied dismissively.

"Commodore, I beg you!" Elizabeth pleads, pushing past Jack to reach him, "Please do this for me...as a wedding gift."

Esmeralda's eyes widened in shock and clearly this took everyone else by surprise also as the ship suddenly became silent.

"Elizabeth, are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" the Governor asked surprised.

"I am." Elizabeth confirmed sill looking at the Commodore.

No, this couldn't happen. They had come all this way because Will and Elizabeth loved each other (even though neither of them would admit it). Was she really willing to give up Will to keep him alive?

"A wedding!" Jack exclaimed grinning, "I love weddings! Drinks all around!" He smiled cheerily and looked at the men around him and noticed that no one was as excited as he was. "I know, clap 'im in irons, right?"

Esmeralda took her attentions to Norrington who appeared thoughtful. "Mister Sparrow, you and your...friend will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to the Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' Do I make myself clear?" He asked looking from Jack to Es waiting for an answer.

"Inescapably clear," Jack responded for the both of them. They were then escorted to the helm by naval men while Elizabeth was ushered below decks.

It had been several hours since they had started sailing towards the Isla de Muerta and the sun had already set. Jack had been at the helm for the entire journey with a determined look on his face glancing every few minutes at his compass to check his course. Es had admittedly been little help but was happy that Jack hadn't said anything to that effect and so she had been allowed to remain on deck with him. She was leaning against the railing looking at her captain but he was so focused on steering the ship that he hadn't noticed. He looked at home at the helm of a ship and she wondered absent mindedly what he would look like manning the helm of his own ship. Little did Commodore Norringon know, he had given Jack yet another opportunity to regain ownership of his precious Pearl.

Esmade her way to the helm to have a word with her captain. She was sure that he had a plan swirling around in that brilliant mind of his and she needed to know what it was. "So," she began in a hushed tone because even though they were trusted not to be in the bring they still had soldiers guarding them, "After we reach the Isla de Muerta what comes next in your plan?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, love" Jack responded with a small smile.

"I'm sure that you do, Captain Sparrow. I suppose I'll just have to trust you." Es replied grinning. She didn't have a problem trusting Jack, he hadn't ever caused harm to her on purpose in the past. She made her way down the steps leading to the main deck from the helm aware of all the eyes on her. She could make out a dark line on the horizon as the fog began to envelope The Dauntless, they were almost there.

"You didn't tell him about the curse." Es looked to her right, she hadn't noticed that Elizabeth had joined her.

"I noticed that you didn't either," Es responded, "I suppose it was for the same reason."

"He wouldn't have risked it." Elizabeth confirmed, watching her fingers draw patterns on the railing of the ship.

Es looked over at Elizabeth and for the first time she looked past the fact that she was an upper class woman: she was brave and intelligent, willing to do whatever she could to save someone she loved...even if it meant that she could never have him. "I admire someone who is willing to do whatever is necessary to reach their goals."

Elizabeth looked up to the helm where Jack and Norrington were talking to each other. "Jack is a smart man, but I am not entirely sure that I trust him." She paused and turned back to Es, "You trust him, but you two have known each other for a long time I'm sure."

"Actually, I just met him a few days ago in Tortuga." Es said, "He's just never given me a reason _not_ to trust him before. He's a good man."

"He cares for you, you know." Elizabeth said matter-of-factly. "I can tell by the way he looks at you."

"Says the woman that had a man after her for years but never even noticed," Es replied, "We're just friends. It would be stupid of me to think that we could ever be anything more."

"We've weighed anchor." Jack said walking up to the two women, ending their conversation. "Norrington is gathering men to go to shore."

After a few moments of comfortable silence the Commodore approached the railing, "Everything is ready, Sparrow. I trust you will be accompanying us. Will Miss Jacobs be coming along?"

"No." Jack said flatly, "It would be safer for her to remain on board with Miss Swann."

"What?!" Es shrieked. She was prepared for Elizabeth to stay behind, but Es was not weak. She could hold her own. "No, I am going with you."

Jack turned around, "No, you aren't. You talked me out of it last time, this time you will obey orders and stay with Elizabeth." With that, Jack and the Commodore made their way into the longboat and left Elizabeth and Es to be dragged kicking and screaming to Norrington's quarters.

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**Thank you so much for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

As Jack and Norrington were being lowered into the ocean Gillette had the difficult task of locking Elizabeth and Es in Commodore Norrington's quarters. "But I have to tell him! The pirates, they're cursed! They can't be killed!" Elizabeth cried out trying to convince him to let them help rescue Will.

"Don't worry miss, he's already been informed of that. A mermaid flopped on deck and told him the whole story." He replied sarcastically as he closed and locked the door.

"Do you still trust him?" Elizabeth asked bitterly.

Es was asking herself the same question. Clearly his intention was to keep her safe, but she wasn't a delicate little flower that needed protecting either. "Yes I trust him, but if he doesn't think that I can defend myself the feeling isn't exactly mutual." She replied finally.

"We've got to make sure Will is safe." Elizabeth says changing the subject. "Do you have any ideas?"

For once Es agreed with her, they needed to get off this ship as soon as possible. She noticed the large windows in the rear of the room and rushed to look out the window, just their luck there happened to be a boat there for whatever reason. "We need to make a rope. Help me gather and tie all of the bedsheets together, we'll lower climb down into the row boat and row over to the Pearl. If Barbossa and Jack are going to fight he'll need back up."

The two women quickly gathered several sheets and began tying them together wordlessly. Just as they were about to be finished there was someone at the door, it was Governor Swann. "He's probably here to check on me, we'll have to climb quickly." Elizabeth whispered walking over to the window as her father began to speak through the door.

"Elizabeth? I just want you to know I, uh, I believe you made a very good decision today. I couldn't be more proud of you" He paused, "But you know...a good decision made for the wrong reasons can be a wrong decision."

As Elizabeth's father continued to talk she and Es went out the window and down the side of the ship into the waiting boat below. "Now to free the crew from the brig." Es said grabbing the oars of the boat and rowing and fast as she could towards The Black Pearl. When they reached the side of the ship Es climbed up the side, followed by Elizabeth. Es wordlessly lead Elizabeth past two pirates squabbling over what to eat first once the curse is lifted. Thankfully they were too busy fantasizing over food to realize the two women had snuck past them and onto the main deck. Es climbed over first and then lent her hand to Elizabeth as she climbed over.

They had taken a few steps before Jack the monkey swung down in front of them screeched. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and tossed the monkey overboard before the beast alerted the two pirates guarding the Pearl. But when she heard a clunk instead of a splash Es peered over the railing to make sure the little bugger landed in the water. Just as she leaned over the two pirates they passed on the way on deck looked up. Shit. She quickly straightened and grabbed Elizabeth by the arm pulling her down below,"We've been spotted." She hissed while pulling Elizabeth behind one of the support beams to let the other pirates pass them. As soon as they passed she let go of Elizabeth arm and began descending once more and into the brig with Elizabeth hot on her heels.

"Esmeralda! Miss Elizabeth!" Gibbs cried in relief.

"Miss me?" Es asked with a smile as she started looking for the keys to their cell.

"We didn't think we'd see either of you again after Barbossa made you and Jack walk the plank. How'd ye manage to get off that island?" Gibbs asked in disbelief as Es located the keys and unlocked the cell holding the door open for the crew to escape.

"Sea turtles, mate." Es replied with an impish grin. "As far as I could tell there were only two men guarding the ship. The sooner we get rid of them the sooner this ship is ours, what say you?" Es asked hoping to rally the men together to claim this ship for Jack. After all if the Pearl doesn't stay behind Jack would be off to the noose.

"Aye!" The men agreed in unison.

"I think I have an idea." Elizabeth said before leading the crew above to the main deck. She saw the two pirates looking around the main deck looking for them, little did they know they weren't that far behind them hiding behind one of the hanging row boats. "On the count of three, push the boat and it will send them overboard." Elizabeth whispered, "One, two, three!" Sure enough the boat swung at the pirates with enough force to break their bones apart and scatter them in the water.

Elizabeth ran quickly to the boat and began readying it to be lowered, "All of you with me! Will is in that cave and we must save him! Ready and heave!" She paused, no one had come to help her. "Please, I need your help! Come on!" She pleaded.

"Any port in the storm!" Cotton's parrot squaked.

"Cotton's right, we've got the Peal." Gibbs translated for the bird.

"And what about Jack? Are you just going to leave him?" Elizabeth asked, looking between Es and Gibbs.

No. She couldn't leave him there, leaving him would be to condemn him to death and as angry as she was at him she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she left him to die. "I'm going with you. I can't leave him here to die." Es said stepping forward hoping that she would inspire the others to do so as well. But when she looked back no one had moved.

"Jack owes us a ship." Marty said definitely, not moving.

Es looked to Gibbs. Surely he would want to help his friend and captain, instead she saw no concern for Jack's wellbeing. "And there's the code to consider." He added to Marty's point.

"You're pirates!" Elizabeth half shouted in disbelief, "Hand the code, and hang the rules! They're more like guidelines anyway."

Es turned away from them, they weren't going to do anything to help. "Let's go Elizabeth, the more time we waste here the less of a chance we'll make it to the island in time." Es made her way to the railing where they tied off the boat they took from The Dauntless. "It will save time to use this one." She said before climbing over the railing and down the side of the ship and into the boat.

"Bloody pirates." Elizabeth mumbled as she rowed the boat towards the Isla de Muerta.

"We're not all so bad, you know." Es replied. Sure she was angry with Gibbs and the rest of the crew, but as she watched The Black Pearl sail away into the night she found that she couldn't really blame them for what they'd done. At least Barbossa's crew wouldn't be able to sail away with Jack's ship again.

"Thank you for coming with me." Elizabeth said, "I don't think I could have done this without you."

Es looked Elizabeth in the eye, "I'm sure you could have. You're a strong woman, Elizabeth."

"Thank you," Elizabeth replied as they reached the shore. "You are too. Now let's get in there and help our men."

"Your man, my captain. There's a difference." Es said as she followed Elizabeth into the fray.

She saw Barbossa and Jack fighting each other in the distance. Will had been knocked to the ground by one of Barbossa's men Es recognized as Jacoby. "I'll teach you the meaning of pain!" He sneered but before his sword could get to Will, Elizabeth was there holding a golden rod. "You like pain?" She sneered before hitting him, "Try wearing a corset."

"Go Elizabeth!" Es shouted, she really didn't think that woman had it in her. Clearly Lizzie had more spirit than she gave her credit for. Just then the pirate next to her pulled his head from a golden vase and came towards her. Es drew her sword excited to be in the action finally.

"What are you two doing here?" Will asked as Elizabeth helped him up.

"Oh you know, couldn't let you guys have all the fun." Es replied while fighting the pirate.

"Whose side is Jack on?" Elizabeth asked.

Es knocked the sword out of her opponent's hand and was about to reply with 'the same side he's always been on - his'...until she noticed that he too turned into a skeleton in the moonlight. Creepy and not a very good look for any man. While she was distracted by Jack all three pirates began walking towards her. "Will? Elizabeth? I could use some help over here." She said

Elizabeth and Will ran over with their golden rod and ran it through all three men. Will then took one of Jacoby's discarded hand grenades and stuffed it in his ribcage. They then pushed the skeletal pirates out of the moonlight.

"No fair." Jacoby whined patting his chest- there was no way to get the bomb out in time. Will and Elizabeth darted off to the left while Es ran off in the opposite direction. She saw Jack and Barbossa and froze, Barbossa's pistol was pointed straight at her.

Boom! The loud shot of pistols going off rang in her ears as she fell backwards, she'd been shot.

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**Thanks for reading! **


	13. A Curse Broken

Pain. All Es could feel was a gut wrenching pain. She bit her lip to try to keep herself from screaming in pain but it didn't work. She was shot in the arm, but luckily it had missed her chest entirely, had she have moved a few inches to the right it would have landed in her chest.

"Ten years ye carried that pistol and now ye waste yer shot.,"Barbossa sneered. So the other shot she'd heard was Jack shooting Barbossa. But like he said: he couldn't die, what was the point? "And ye've lost yer lass." He finished no doubt talking about her. Two problems with that one mate: she wasn't his and she wasn't dead...yet.

"He didn't waste it," Will said as he dropped the bloodied coins back into the chest where they belonged. The curse was broken! Barbossa could die, he might even already be dying. Hell, she was probably dying too. While it was true that the bullet hadn't pierced her heart every wound inflicted by a gun held the possibility of death.

"Es, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked. She hadn't even noticed her approach.

"I've been better," came Esmeralda's reply through gritted teeth. "I'm sure I've been worse before...I just can't think of when." She tried to sit up but the pain of using her injured arm was too great and she gave up.

"I thought I told you to stay behind," Jack said as he helped her to sit up. She hadn't noticed him walk over either. Once Jack reached her side Elizabeth left to find Will.

"Yes well I couldn't let you have all the fun." She replied forcing a small smile.

"That worked out famously for you didn't it, love?" He asked the usual glint in his eyes had vanished. He wasted little time and tore a piece of cloth from the sleeve of his shirt and tying it around her arm to try and stop the bleeding. "The bullet didn't exit, the sooner we get to the Pearl the better. It has to be removed.

Her heart sank - she tried to retain his ship for him like she'd promised but it had already left. That was the one promise she'd made him and in trying to keep it she broke it. "Jack I-"

"I'm glad you're alive," He interrupted. He looked more serious than Es had ever seen him, too serious for her liking. "For the second time in two days I thought I'd watched you die."

"It will take more than Hector Barbossa to kill me Captain Sparrow." she said with a small smile hoping that her optimism would bring back the Jack she knew and loved. No, not loved, admired - as a friend. But as much as she wanted to see Jack return to his normal carefree self there was a part of her that made her happy he cared about her. "Speaking of Barbossa is he..?"

"Dead? Yes. A bullet straight through the chest," he confirmed. So it was over, she would never have to look at him again. "Come on, let me help you up," Jack said lifting her to her feet taking great care not to bother her wounded arm.

"Thank you," Es said welcoming the assistance. She felt woozy as she stood, but ignored it. She would be fine, she always was.

They began making their way out of the cavern Jack picking trinkets up here and there, eventually they'd made it to Will and Elizabeth.

"Your fiancee will be wanting to know you're safe." She heard Will say.

Es glared at Jack how on Earth did he manage to let that slip?

"If you were waiting for the opportune moment...that was it." Jack slurred as they passed by. Unfortunately for Poor Will, Jack was right. "Now if you would be so kind as to drop us off at my ship."

"Jack, I, uh, well...Elizabeth and I went to the Pearl before we came here." She began, treading lightly. She knew that he would most likely be angry with her and she wanted to delay that as much as possible.

"Did you now?" Jack asked turning to face her..

"I went to free the crew, to get more help...but the left Jack. The Black Pearl is gone," She admitted climbing into the row boat. "I'm so sorry."

"They've done what's right by them I can't expect more than that," he replied any glimmer of happiness that remained in him was gone.

Now all that they had to look forward to was the gallows...if Es even made it that far. Her bleeding had slowed but hadn't stopped entirely and the walk from where she was shot to the shores of the Isla de Muerta took a lot out of her. She felt woozy and was as white as a sheet and felt worse and worse as they rowed towards the Dauntless. By the time they reached the ship her eyes were heavy. She wasn't sure that she could follow Will and Elizabeth up the Jacob's ladder up to the deck. Jack helped her up but even with his help everything went black.

* * *

Es woke up in one of the cabins aboard the Dauntless; the sun was shining in through the window. It had to be at least mid morning maybe even early afternoon, but she didn't remember falling asleep. She didn't even remember climbing aboard the Dauntless. The last thing she remembered was being in the row boat with Will, Elizabeth, and Jack. Her arm was sore, but it didn't have the stinging awful pain that it did the night before. She looked down to find it wrapped with a clean bandage.  
The door creaked open and Elizabeth came through the door, "You're awake!" She exclaimed as she rushed to her bedside.

"Should I not be?" Es asked.

"You scared everyone last night. You passed out before reaching the deck, we weren't sure if you would make it. If Jack hadn't carried you up the ladder and demanded the doctor see you, you probably would have died in the brig." Elizabeth explained, "The doctor was able to remove the bullet, stop the bleeding, and sew the wound shut. You very nearly died."

"It was admirable for everyone to go to such trouble to make sure that I was saved but I can't help but wonder why anyone even bothered. I am only going to go to the gallows once we reach Port Royal," Es said. It would have been an easier fate to bleed to death unconscious than to hang by the neck, that was for sure.

"Es, you've been pardoned." Elizabeth said with a smile, "I convinced my father not to have you hanged."

"What's the catch?" Es asked. "The Commodore isn't exactly going to allow a pirate to run free once one has been captured."

"You'll be living with me until you've made a math...but that is better than hanging. At least you'll be alive. We would be like sisters" Elizabeth replied.

"Aye, I'll be breathing, but I won't be doing much living." Es countered, "And what about Jack? Will? Are they going to be pardoned as well?" She asked hoping on hope that she wouldn't have to watch her friends hang.

"My father doesn't want to watch Will hang, he's known him since he was a child - it would be hard to watch." Elizabeth replied, dancing around the answer to the first question.

"But there is nothing that he can do for Jack." Es finished for her and when Elizabeth nodded her heart sank. There had to be something that she could do for him. "Where is he?"

"In the brig with Will." Elizabeth replied.

Es sat herself up and winced, the pain wasn't even half as bad as it was yesterday. Hopefully that meant she was healing well. "I'm going to him." She said climbing out of bed. Looking down she realized for the first time that her clothes had been changed. Instead of her regular worn breeches and shirt she'd been changed into the same red coat clothing Elizabeth was wearing.

"There wasn't anything else on board for you to wear and your clothes were blood stained...I hope you don't mind…" Elizabeth said  
"No, it's just...weird is all." Es replied. It was more than weird, it felt disgusting, but she supposed it was better than wearing bloody clothes. "This could be my last time talking to him…"she said as she stood. "What do you even say to someone who has saved you life before they die?" Especially someone who saved you more than once and in more than one way.

"Tell him how you feel," was Elizabeth's advice. "Everyone can see the way you two look at each other. Don't argue with me about it..just tell him while you have the chance to."

Tell Jack how she felt? How did she feel? He was her friend and Captain...and an amazing kisser handsome, and charming….and she had already fallen for him. She had broken her most important rule: never fall in love, it only brings trouble. Plus she was certain that he couldn't feel the same way. Captain Jack Sparrow? Never. But...this could the only chance she ever had. "I love him." She admitted.

* * *

**AN: Thank you everyone for reading! There is only ONE more chapter left (but there will be sequels to follow). Please rate and review! **


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